In some countries in which there is very little rain at any time, the farmers have to irrigate their fields. Irrigation is easy enough if there is a great river near the crops, and if there is plenty of water in it. Canals carry the river water to the fields when necessary. In some seasons there may be too much water in the river, and the water may flood all the land near it. At other times the river water may not be enough for all the farmers, and then it will be difficult to irrigate the fields.
To prevent these difficulties, a dam may be built across the river. This will store water for dry seasons, and in wet seasons it will prevent the flooding of the land. A great lake will, no doubt, be formed behind the dam, and this may mean that houses and fields will be covered with water. Most people will accept that and will be ready to move to other places. Then the country can have the right amount of water at all times; more crops will be grown, there will be more food for everyone, and there will be no more floods.
Dams have been built for centuries in different parts of the world. Modern dame are usually built of concrete（混凝土）but earth dams were used in India and Sri Lanka about 2500 years ago. There was another across the River Tigris very long ago, and large numbers of irrigation canals were made in Iraq to irrigate the land. The Romans were great dam-builders and there was also a famous dam at Ma’ rubin Arabia.
We cannot use sea water for irrigation; the salt will not allow the crops to grow. Fresh water is always needed, and it is very difficult and costly to make fresh water from sea water. This is done in a few countries, but the fresh water is for drinking. There is not enough at present for irrigation. Perhaps a scientist will one day invent a cheaper way of producing fresh water from the sea.
小題1:The first paragraph mainly talks about         .

A．the problems caused by river water

B．the necessity to irrigate the field

C．the water shortage in some countries

D．the canals carrying water to fields

小題2:A dam is usually built         .

A．to cover the houses and fields

B．for people to have the right amount of water at all times

C．to grow crops better

D．to form a large lake

小題3:The underlined word“that”means        .

A．a(chǎn) dam will be built across the river

B．a(chǎn) dam will store water for dry seasons

C．in wet seasons a dam will prevent the flooding of the land

D．houses and fields will be covered will water

小題4:The third paragraph suggests that        .

A．modern dams are made of concrete

B．Romans once built many great dams

C．there was too much water in 1rap in the past

D．modern dams are better than early dams

Throughout seafaring history, ships and sailors have been lost to storms, accidents and war. Until recently, most of these ships were weak wooden sailing vessel (船只), their skeletons(骨架) quickly eaten away by sea creatures. Now, large vessels made of steel float on the seas. Thousands of these huge ships have been lost in times of war and in times of peace.
The bones of great metal ships, unlike the wooden vessels of old, survive the destruction of the sea long enough to become home and harbor for underwater life of all kinds. Shipwrecks(殘骸) often provide the only hard surface and structure at the sandy bottom of the sea, something many sea creatures need.
The ship has been underwater for only five days. Its surface is still clean. Six weeks later, the wreck is covered with a slimy layer of algae(海藻), but it is still recognizable as a ship. Soon, animals that need to attach themselves to a hard surface, like the feather duster worms, make the wreck their home.
In warm waters, coral polyps(珊瑚蟲) settle on the wreck and begin the process of building a rock-like crust on the ship. Small fish are attracted on all of these creatures. Larger fish come to feed on these small fish that hide in the wreckage. Eventually, the largest animals are attracted to the rich life on the shipwreck.
Shipwrecks give us valuable information about how sea plants and animals develop. We know exactly how long this wreck has been under water and how long sea life has been growing on it. Yet even the strongest steel shipwreck will finally be destroyed by the flows of water. But long after this wreck has been broken apart, it will still act as a reef (礁石). Layer upon layer of sea life has formed a structure that is now more natural than artificial, and will remain an island of life under the sea.
小題1:Which of the following is NOT TRUE about shipwrecks?

A．Most ships in ancient times sank easily and become shipwrecks.

B．Shipwrecks, for scientists, are worth researching to get valuable information.

C．The skeletons of old wooden shipwrecks will exist for quite a long time.

D．Some sea animals tend to seek food on the shipwrecks.

小題2:The writer’s purpose in writing the article is to tell us_____.

A．the differences between the ancient vessels and the modern ones

B．how the ships become shipwrecks at sea

C．how coral polyps live on the wreck in warm waters

D．the value of studying shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea

小題3:Which of the following is closer to the underlined “crust”?

A．a(chǎn) hard outer covering	B．the skin of a rock
C．a(chǎn) hole in a ship	D．a(chǎn) small house

小題4:What will happen to shipwrecks in the end?

A．They will be pulled out of the sea for research.

B．They are likely to disappear and form reefs.

C．They will become an island under the sea.

D．They will be like works of art.

It was unusually quiet in the emergency room on December 25.
I was nurse on duty that day. I didn’t think there would be any patients, sighing about having to work on Christmas. Just then five bodies showed up at my desk, a pale woman and four small children.
“Are you all sick?” I asked suspiciously.
“Yes,” she said weakly and lowered her head.
But when it came to descriptions of their presenting problems, things got a little vague. Two of the children had headaches, but the headaches weren’t accompanied by the normal body language of holding the head or trying to keep it still. Two children had earaches, but only one could tell me which ear was affected. The mother complained of a cough but seemed to work to produce it.
Something was wrong, but I didn’t say anything but explained that it might be a little while before a doctor saw her. She responded, “Take your time; it’s warm here.”
On a hunch (出于直覺), I checked the chart after the admitting clerk had finished registering the family. No address---they were homeless. The waiting room was warm.
I looked out at the family huddled by the Christmas tree. The little one was pointing at the television and exclaiming something to her mother. The oldest one was looking at an ornament on the Christmas tree.
I went back to the nurses’ station and mentioned we had a homeless family in the waiting room. The nurses, grumbling about working Christmas, turned to compassion for a family just trying to get warm on Christmas. The team went into action, much as we do when there’s a medical emergency. But this one was a Christmas emergency.
We were all offered a free meal in the hospital cafeteria on Christmas Day, so we claimed that meal and prepared a banquet for our Christmas guests. We needed presents. We put together oranges and apples in a basket. We collected from different departments candies, crayons and other things available that could be presents. As seriously as we met the physical needs of the patients that came to us that day, our team worked to meet the needs, and exceed the expectations, of a family who just wanted to be warm on Christmas Day.
Later, as the family walked to the door to leave, the four year old came running back, gave me a hug and whispered, “Thanks for being our angels today.”
小題1:Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?

A．Working Christmas Day	B．Christmas Day is Coming
C．A Happy Family	D．A Pale Woman and Four Small Children

小題2:What kind of person do you think the author is?

A．Hardworking and outgoing	B．Serious and careful
C．Hardworking and warmhearted	D．Serious and stubborn

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Something was wrong with one of the children’s heads.

B．The pale woman forgot to write the address.

C．The author did not understand the truth.

D．The children’s mother told a lie.

小題4:It can be inferred from the text that______.

A．The author didn’t think there would be any patients on Christmas Day

B．The woman was uncomfortable when she lowered her head

C．The family appeared in the emergency room on Christmas Eve

D．The woman and four small children were satisfied and grateful

A new generation addiction is quickly spreading all over the world. Weboholism（醉心于網(wǎng)絡(luò)）, a twentieth century disease, affects people from different ages. They surf the net, use e-mail and speak in chat rooms. They spend many hours on the computer, and it becomes a compulsive habit. They cannot stop, and it affects their lives.
Ten years ago, no one thought that using computers could become compulsive（強(qiáng)迫性的）behavior that could affect the social and physical life of computer users. This obsessive behavior has affected teenagers and college students. They are likely to log on computers and spend long hours at different websites.
They become hooked on computers and gradually their social and school life is affected by this situation. They spend all free time surfing and don’t concentrate on homework, so this addiction influences their grades and success at schools. Because they can find everything on the websites, they hang out there. Moreover, this addiction to websites influences their social life.
They spend more time in front of computers than with their friends. The relation with their friends changes. The virtual（虛擬的）life becomes more important than their real life. They have a new language that they speak in the chat rooms and it causes cultural changes in society.
Because of the change in their behavior, they begin to isolate（孤立 themselves from the society and live with their virtual friends. They share their emotions and feelings with friends who they have never met in their life. Although they feel confident on the computer, they are not confident with real live friends they have known all their life. It is a problem for the future. This addictive behavior is beginning to affect the whole world.
小題1:The main idea of the passage is about _______.

A．the cause of weboholism	B．the advantage of weboholism
C．the popularity of weboholism	D．the influence of weboholism

小題2:The underlined work “obsessive” in the second paragraph most probably means “______”.

A．a(chǎn)ttractive

B．a(chǎn)ddictive

C．professional

D．potential

小題3:We can infer from the passage that ________.

A．weboholism has the greatest effect on teenagers.

B．students can hardly balance real and virtual life.

C．people are addicted to games on the Internet.

D．virtual life is more vivid and attractive anyway.

小題4:Which of the following is NOT true of weboholism?

A．It contributes to the development of the web.

B．The chat room language may change social culture.

C．The problem will be getting more and more serious later.

D．People addicted to the web often become inactive in real life.

小題5:The author’s attitude towards weboholism is that of being ________.

A．optimistic

B．positive

C．oppositive

D．a(chǎn)cceptable

The skin which covers the tips of the fingers and thumbs is crossed by numerous ridges (隆起) arranged in different patterns. These patterns are permanent from birth and remain exactly the same throughout a person's life, even when the skin becomes wrinkled and cracked as a result of old age. Such patterns are never passed on from parents to children, and no one in the world has the same patterns as anyone else. Even identical twins have different sets of fingerprints. As a result, fingerprints offer a most useful and foolproof way of identifying people. Any ridged part of the hand and the foot may be used as a means of identification, but finger impressions are usually preferred since they can be taken easily and quickly.
Fingerprints are classified in the ways: by general shapes and contours(輪廓), by the finger positions of the pattern-types, and by size (often measured by counting the ridges in the loops). Every set of fingerprints has different “ridge characteristics” (i. e. the print of each separate finger is different from that of all the other fingers), which belong to one of four basic groups: arches, loops, whorls and composites. All fingerprints can then be divided into 1, 024 groups. By using details in the patterns above, these 1, 024 groups can be further divided into thousands of smaller groups, thus making it possible to find a particular set of fingerprints in a few minutes.
小題1:According to this passage, the true statement about human fingerprints is that ____.

A．people's fingerprints sometimes can be passed on from parents to children

B．people’s fingerprints are unique but identical twins may have the same fingerprints

C．using fingerprints is the only way to identify people

D．people's fingerprints will not change in all their lives

小題2:We prefer to use fingerprints to identify people because ____.

A．we can never find the same set of fingerprints among human beings

B．finger impressions can be taken easily and quickly

C．fingerprints offer a most useful and foolproof way of identifying people

D．a(chǎn)ll of the above

小題3:The word “foolproof” (Line 7, Para. 1) most probably means ____.

A．that is permanent	B．that is acceptable
C．that can not go wrong	D．that is not foolish

小題4:About the classification of fingerprints, which is TRUE? ____.

A．Fingerprints can be classified in three ways

B．All fingerprints can be divided into 1, 024 groups and can not be divided further

C．It is not easy to find a particular set of fingerprints in a short time

D．People can not classify the fingerprints in an effective way

The evidence for harmony(和諧) may not be obvious in some families. But it seems that four out of five young people now get on with their parents, which is the opposite of the popularly-held image （形象）of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels.
An important new study into teenage attitudes surprisingly shows that their family life is more harmonious than it had ever been in the past.“We were surprised by just how positive(肯定的) today’s young people seem to be about their families,” said one number of the research team.“They’re expected to be rebellious(叛逆的) and selfish but actually they have other things on their minds：they want a car and material goods，and they worry about whether school is serving them well. There’s more negotiation(商議) and discussion between parents and children，and children expect to take part in the family decision-making process. They don’t want to rock the boat(搗亂).”
So it seems that this generation of parents is much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat their children as friends. “My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me,” says 17-year-old Daniel Lazall. “I always tell them when I‘m going out clubbing. As long as they know what I’m doing， they’re fine with me.” Susan Crome, who is now 21, agrees. “Looking back on the last 10 years， there was a lot of what you could call negotiation. For example, as long as I’d done all my homework, could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that.”
Maybe this positive view of family life should not be unexpected. It is possible that the idea of teenage rebellion is not rooted in real facts. A researcher comments(評論),“Our surprise that teenagers say they get along well with their parents comes because of a brief period in our social history when teenagers were regarded as different beings. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled. The normal situation throughout history has been a smooth change from helping out with the family business to taking it over. ”
小題1:What is the popular images of the teenager today？

A．They worry about school.

B．They dislike living with their parents.

C．They have to be locked in to avoid troubles.

D．They quarrel a lot with other family members.

小題2:The study shows that teenagers don’t want to __________.

A．share family responsibility

B．cause trouble in their families

C．go boating with their family

D．make family decisions

小題3:Compared with parents of 30 years ago, today’s parents ____________.

A．go to clubs more often with their children

B．a(chǎn)re much stricter with their children

C．care less about their children’s life

D．give their children more freedom

小題4:According to the writer, teenage rebellion __________.

A．may be a false belief

B．is common nowadays

C．existed only in the 1960s

D．resulted from changes in families

小題5:What is the passage mainly about？

A．Negotiation in family.

B．Education in family.

C．Harmony in family.

D．Teenage trouble in family.

Astronauts on shorter shuttle missions often work very long days. Tasks are scheduled so tightly that break times are often used to finish the day's work. This type of schedule is far too demanding for long missions on the International Space Station (ISS). ISS crewmembers usually live in space for at least a quarter of a year. They work five days on and two days off to mimic the normal way they do things on Earth as much as possible. Weekends give the crew valuable time to rest and do a few hours of housework. They can communicate with family and friends by email, internet phone and through private video conferences.
While astronauts cannot go to a baseball game or a movie in orbit, there are many familiar activities that they can still enjoy. Before a mission, the family and friends of each ISS crewmember put together a collection of family photos, messages, videos and reading material for the astronauts to look at when they will be floating 370 kilometers above the Earth. During their mission, the crew also receives care packages with CDs, books, magazines, photos and letters. And as from early 2010, the internet became available on the ISS, giving astronauts the chance to do some "web surfing" in their personal time. Besides relaxing with these more common entertainments, astronauts can simply enjoy the experience of living in space.
Many astronauts say that one of the most relaxing things to do in space is to look out the window and stare at the universe and the Earth. Both the shuttle and the ISS circle the planet several times each day, and every moment offers a new view of the Earth's vast land mass and oceans.
小題1:What does the word "mimic" in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．copy

B．find

C．change

D．lose

小題2:Which of the following best describes the families of the astronauts on the ISS?

A．They are impatient and annoyed.	B．They are worried and upset.
C．They are caring and thoughtful.	D．They are excited and curious.

小題3:In the final paragraph, the author shows that astronauts ________.

A．love to see the Earth from space	B．find living in space a bit boring and tiring
C．regard space life as common	D．get more pleasure in space than on the Earth

小題4:The passage mainly discusses how astronauts ________.

A．work for longer missions in space	B．spend their free time in space
C．observe the Earth from space	D．connect with people on the Earth

Much of the water we use comes from snow. Melting snow provides water for rivers, electric power centers and agricultural crops. In the western United States, mountain snow provides up to 75% of all surface water supplies.
Snowfall helps to protect plants and some wild animals from cold, winter weather. Fresh snow is made largely of air trapped among the snow crystals. Because the air has trouble moving, the movement of heat is greatly reduced.
Snow also is known to influence the movement of sound waves. When there is fresh snow on the ground, the surface of the snow takes in, or absorbs, sound waves. However, snow can become hard and flat as it becomes older or if there have been strong winds. Then the snow's surface will help to send back sound waves. Under these conditions, sounds may seem clearer and travel farther.
Generally, the color of snow and ice appears white. This is because the light we see from the sun is white. Most natural materials take in some sunlight. This gives them their color. However, when light travels from air to snow, some light is sent back, or reflected. Snow crystals have many surfaces to reflect sunlight. Yet the snow does take in a little sunlight. It is this light that gives snow its white appearance.
Sometimes, snow or ice may appear to be blue. The blue light is the product of a long travel path through the snow or ice. In simple terms, think of snow or ice as a filter. A filter is designed to reject some substances, while permitting others to pass through. In the case of snow, all the light makes it through if the snow is only a centimeter thick. If it is a meter or more thick, however, blue light often can be seen.
小題1:How many functions of snow are discussed in the passage?

A．One

B．Two

C．Three

D．Four

小題2:Why does snowfall help to protect plants from cold?

A．Because snow crystals contain heat.

B．Because snow crystals have air in them.

C．Because snow crystals are easy to blow away.

D．Because snow crystals send out heat when melting.

小題3:It can be inferred that ______.

A．hard snow is better in protecting wild animals than fresh snow

B．fresh snow is better in sending sound waves than hard snow

C．fresh snow is better in taking in sound waves than hard snow

D．hard snow provides less water than fresh snow

小題4:The color of snow and ice appears white because snow crystals________.

A．send back none of the sunlight	B．send back all of the sunlight
C．take in most of the sunlight	D．take in some of the sunlight

Consult the page adapted from an English dictionary and do Questions 68～70.

小題1:Fill in the blank in the sentence “I can’t believe this is Daniel—he’s ______ since we last met! Much taller than the other boys of his age!”

A．shot up

B．shot out

C．shot through

D．shot down

小題2:When you are talking about unimportant things, we say you are ______.

A．shooting yourself in the foot

B．shooting your mouth off

C．shooting the breeze

D．shooting questions at somebody

小題3:Choose a word to complete the sentence “The ______, which killed a policeman and wounded a passer-by(路人), was reported to have lasted only 13 seconds.”

A．shooter

B．shoot

C．shot

D．shooting

Busy senior managers need no longer waste time in showering themselves－an Australian company has invented a suit that can be worn while they wash.
The suit has been specially designed so that it can be cleaned under the showerhead. There is no need for soaking (浸泡)，dry cleaning－or even soap.
The Japanese market has taken a liking to the “shower suit”，described as “revolutionary” by its owner Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)，which is the research and marketing body that represents Australian wool－growers. Orders have been placed for 170,000 of the woolen suits.
The suit could be worn in the shower，although it was probably better to hang it on a clothes hanger and carry it instead，AWI corporate affairs spokesman Stephen Feighan said.“The idea is that you hang it up and then...you give it a spray (噴霧)，and it’s dry the next morning，” Mr Feighan said.
A Japanese researcher working for AWI invented the suit by combining three technologies. The secret is the best lining (內(nèi)襯)，which allows the suit to dry quickly.The shower suit attracted busy corporate people，particularly those who often traveled or stayed up late，Mr Feighan said.The airline industry was also interested.
Mr Feighan confessed he had not worn one of the suits yet，or tried to wash it in the shower，because they cut to fit Japanese figures.AWI believes that the shower suit will spread from the Japanese market through Europe and India. Mr Feighan hoped the suit，made from local wool，would be available in Australia in 12 to 18 months’ time.
小題1:What is the writing purpose of the article?

A．To introduce a newly－designed shower suit.

B．To help the white collars arrange their life more sensibly.

C．To provide suggestions on saving time in bath.

D．To praise AWI for its important achievement.

小題2:Which is true about the suit according to the passage?

A．It can spare the owner’s trouble of soaking，dry cleaning and applying soap.

B．It is of the quality of fast dry for its best cloth.

C．It is not suitable for hanging.

D．It has attracted more orders than any other suit.

小題3:The suit draws the attention from all the following groups EXCEPT________.

A．corporate people who are always on the go

B．people on occasional business trips

C．the airline industry

D．people burning the midnight oil

小題4:Which of the following has much to do with Mr Feighan?

A．The invention of the suit.

B．The try－on of the suit.

C．The combination of the three technologies on the suit.

D．The popularization of the suit and best wishes for it.